• All-new Ford Focus
ST-R race car to appear at Los Angeles as Ford further grows its
global motorsports development portfolio
• Global Focus ST-based racer ready for action all around the
world and available for purchase – technically based on Ford’s
global Focus race car development program
• Fast, agile and competitive, Focus ST-R is aimed at
professionals, amateurs and track-day enthusiasts

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 3,
2011 – The new Ford Focus ST arrives on American soil next year, and
already Ford has a race-tweaked production-based Focus ST-R in the
works for small car speedsters.

Closely resembling the Focus ST road car, the Focus ST-R is
distinctive under the skin as it is purpose-built for the track by
Ford Racing in North America as a fully prepared competition car. It
features a powerful 2.0-liter EcoBoost® engine, FIA-regulation roll
cage, uprated brakes and track-tuned suspension.

The Focus ST-R will be available to teams soon, beginning in North
America, to race in a variety of series. It appears this month at
the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The all-new Focus ST-R has been crafted by engineers at Ford Racing
– with technical support from Ford’s Global Performance Vehicles
group – to allow it to compete in a huge variety of series,
including Grand-Am ST, World Challenge TC and the Canadian Touring
Car Series. Ford also hopes teams will race the car in key European
motorsports series and major events such as the 24 Hours of
Nürburgring.

Its linkage to the new Focus ST road car is not by accident.

“From the beginning, the
Focus and new Focus ST were designed to be drivers’ cars,” said Jost
Capito, director of Global Performance Vehicles and Motorsport
Business Development. “The road-going Focus features best-in-class
brakes, handling and powertrains, and the design and functionality
of the various vehicle systems have helped us to develop a global
technical specification for teams wanting to race the new Focus
cost-effectively. Ford Racing in North America has taken this effort
and developed the new Focus ST-R. It’s a perfect example of how a
great production car inspires a competitive race car for
enthusiasts.”

Focus ST-R will be available to order from Ford dealers in North
America by hardcore professional drivers, amateur racers and
track-day enthusiasts as well. Ford’s vision is to broaden
availability to more regions in the future.

“We’re thrilled to be taking the Focus ST-R from concept to reality
for motorsports enthusiasts initially in North America and
potentially around the world,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford
Racing. “The previous turnkey race cars we developed for North
American racing have been hugely successful, so we’re hopeful the
ST-R will be the first such vehicle for global series and – as a
direct result of the company’s global platform strategy and our
technical support program – for motorsports applications of Focus
and Fiesta models.”

Because the Focus ST-R is a production-based road race car, it
features stock body panels and production parts where possible.

“People who buy one will get a fully prepared race car that will
only need communications equipment and the customer’s decals to go
racing,” added Allison. “We’ve already had significant interest in
this vehicle from numerous established race teams.”

For North American customers, the Focus ST-R is the latest in a long
line of turnkey race cars offered by Ford including the Mustang
FR500C, Mustang FR500S, Mustang Cobra Jet, Boss 302R and Boss 302S.

Development work on the Focus ST-R also will result in a range of
Ford Racing parts to be made available to racers and enthusiasts
around the world.

Focus role in Ford’s global
motorsports strategy

The Frankfurt Motor Show
debut and this month’s Los Angeles appearance of the Focus ST-R is
part of an aggressive motorsports presence for Ford as its strategy
to support motorsports development across its core global vehicle
platforms gains traction. Ford is applying engineering and
development expertise for vehicles like Focus ST-R to spur success
in competition similar to that being enjoyed by the Fiesta in
RallyCross and X Games.

“Just as we are developing performance cars from our vehicle
platforms with global customers in mind, we’re taking the same
platform approach with motorsports,” said Capito. “The intent is to
leverage our central motorsports engineering expertise to get
competitive hardware in the hands of private teams and racers all
around the world, and the Focus ST-R is the latest proof.”

The global Focus race car development – a major plank in Ford’s new
global motorsports strategy – is based on international S2000
regulations.

Ford launched its global motorsports development program last year.
At its core is technical support for privateers who choose to
compete with global Ford vehicles with access to affordable,
globally competitive hardware.

“We expect to see the ST-R competing for wins on a global scale,
extending the rich racing and rallying heritage Focus has already
gained both on tarmac and on dirt,” Capito added.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a
global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich.,
manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With
about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s
automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides
financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more
information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.